Summer 2015: Poetry

Introduction

Summertime in the Pacific Northwest is such a relief. Finally, the sun. While the call of the outdoors is strong, we hope the poems in our Summer 2015 issue will help you pause for a moment at your door.

The poems included in this issue grapple with the big themes of loss and renewal found in many poetic works while also challenging our ideas of self – alone and in our families. The pieces range from reimagined Bible stories, such as Cindy St. Onge's stirring "Lot's Wife" to reimagined identities in pieces like Darla Mottram's "It's OK To Be a Waterfall." From ways of dealing with loss, in Marilyn Johnston's "Upon Finding the House Where Cousin Viola Lived During the Holocaust" and "The Stars in Your Voice," by Cindy Hines, to how to cultivate joy or forgiveness, in Stephanie Glazier's "One Gd At A Time," Emily Ransdell's "My Water Children" and Stella Jeng Guillory's "Chief Joseph's Flute."

We also have an erasure poem (a new form for VoiceCatcher) by Juleen Johnson, prompted by the late Philip Levine’s poem “Coming Home, Detroit, 1968,” as well as a poem seemingly inspired by the season by Nancy Flynn, "How I Wasted My Life."

We hope you will consider these new ideas and varied voices as you hurry to your bike. Even when they tackle the inevitable moments of darkness present in a life, they somehow manage to breathe light into those spaces. A welcomed poetic sun arriving just in time.

Jennifer Dorner, Pattie Palmer-Baker,
Claudia F. Savage and Cindy Stewart-Rinier
Poetry Co-Editors

Poetry As hot as the summer sun, 13 poets breathe light into the darkness.		Prose Tending to the worn, imperfect edges of life, five writers grapple with perimeters.		Artwork Like a swarm of bees or a flock of birds: four artists layer meaning through detail.		Young Voices Four teens observe their world and put words to page like only young voices can.		Contributors From emerging to established writers – meet the women behind our seventh issue’s voices and visions.

LETTER FROM THE MANAGING EDITOR POETRY         One Gd At A Time by Stephanie Glazier         Gotcha by Darla Mottram         It's Ok To Be A Waterfall by Darla Mottram         Lot's Wife by Cindy St. Onge         Sailor by Sarah Bokich         Six More Weeks by Sarah Borsten         Here. Now. by Emily Ransdell         My Water Children by Emily Ransdell         Upon Finding the House Where Cousin Viola Lived During the Holocaust by Marilyn Johnston         Pornography by Tammy Robacker         Attention by Juleen Johnson         Levine Under Erasure by Juleen Johnson         Chief Joseph's Flute by Stella Jeng Guillory         Communion by Livia Montana         The Stars in Your Voice by Cindy Hines         How I Wasted My Life by Nancy Flynn PROSE         The Honor of Armadillos by B.E. Scully         Basket of Shells by Joanna Rose         How to Cure Cancer by Susan Fleming         Nobody by Judith Pulman         Concentric by Susan DeFreitas ART         Exoskeleton by Rachel Mulder         Give Up the Queen and Nobody Gets Hurt by Rachel Mulder         Give Up the Queen and Nobody Gets Hurt (detail) by Rachel Mulder         Put Me in Your Blue Skies by S. Tudyk         Time Grows Over Memories by S. Tudyk         Untitled Work in Paper by S. Tudyk         Mamas Day by Diana Bustos         Untitled by Diana Bustos         Release by Diana Bustos YOUNG VOICES         Somewhere by Danrong Wang         Runner by Sara Reed         Charcoal by Meghana Mysore         Infinite Ink by Meghana Mysore         Home by Kate Pippenger CONTRIBUTORS